John Kiriakou, a former officer of America's CIA, has made a striking revelation that in 2002, India and Pakistan nearly came to war. This was during the tense period following the Parliament attack and Operation Parakram. The situation was so dire that America swiftly evacuated the families of its diplomats from Islamabad.
As a former leader of the CIA's Counter-Terrorism team in Pakistan following the 9/11 attacks, Kiriakou shared in an ANI interview, "We genuinely believed that war between India and Pakistan was imminent. Consequently, the US Deputy Foreign Minister was actively shuttling between the two countries seeking a resolution."
He also acknowledged that America's attention was primarily on Al-Qaeda and Afghanistan, diverting focus from India-related matters. Kiriakou admitted, "Our preoccupation with Al-Qaeda meant that India did not receive significant attention."
Pakistan was spreading terror, but no one spoke out
Speaking on the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Kiriakou noted, "American intelligence agencies were clear that a Pakistan-based Kashmiri terrorist organization was responsible. It wasn't Al-Qaeda but Pakistan-supported Kashmiri groups that were involved. Pakistan was fostering terrorism in India, yet the global community remained silent."
During this period, CIA officials described India's policy as 'Strategic Patience.' Despite provocations, India remained calm. Kiriakou stated, "India demonstrated restraint after the Parliament and Mumbai attacks, but it's time this patience isn't mistaken for weakness."
If war breaks out, Pakistan will lose
Kiriakou opined that Pakistan cannot win a conventional war against India. "If real conflict occurs between India and Pakistan, Pakistan is destined to lose. I'm referencing conventional military strength, not nuclear arsenals. Pakistan does not possess the power that India has," he asserted.
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He insisted that Pakistan should cease provoking India, as it stands to gain nothing.
Highlighting India's self-defense measures, including the 2016 surgical strike, the 2019 Balakot airstrike, and the May 2025 'Operation Sundar,' he declared, "India has consistently shown it will not tolerate terrorism or nuclear threats across the borders."
Pakistan's two faces: The dual ISI
Kiriakou unveiled the hidden truth about Pakistan's intelligence structure. "There are two ISIs: one trained by Sandhurst and the FBI, and the other comprised of individuals with long beards who established groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed," he revealed.
Recalling the 2002 Lahore raid, he mentioned, "We apprehended three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives possessing an Al-Qaeda training manual. This was the first concrete evidence linking the Pakistan government to Al-Qaeda."
Despite these revelations, America did not act. Kiriakou explained, "The White House decided that maintaining relations with Pakistan was of greater interest than those with India."
Who is John Kiriakou?
John Kiriakou served with the CIA for 15 years. Following 9/11, he spearheaded counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan, leading efforts in multiple cities such as Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Quetta. In 2007, he publicly exposed the CIA's use of 'torture' on prisoners, which led to a 23-month prison sentence. Reflecting on this, he states today, "I have no regrets."
